Advocates of looser federal restrictions on marijuana suffered a significant legal setback Tuesday, as a panel of three judges found that the federal government acted properly in refusing to loosen restrictions on pot.
Pro-marijuana groups and a disabled veteran who said it improves his medical condition asked the Drug Enforcement Administration to put marijuana on a lower tier of federal restrictions. They said the agency was ignoring a growing body of scientific evidence that it has some medical benefits. When the DEA refused, they sued.
But by a 2-1 vote, a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said Tuesday that the DEA did consider all the available information. "We find nothing in the record that could move us to conclude that the agency failed to prove by substantial evidence that such studies confirming marijuana's medical efficacy do not exist," the majority opinion said.

The ruling comes as a stark contrast to actions by a growing number of states that allow use of marijuana on the recommendation of a doctor. And voters in Colorado and Washington approved ballot measures in November that ease state restrictions against recreational use.
The DEA has long classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, the most-restrictive category, finding it "has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States." The production, sale, and use of marijuana remain illegal under federal law as a result.
Judge Harry Edwards, who wrote Tuesday's opinion, took note of the controversy. "There is a serious debate in the United States over the efficacy of marijuana for medicinal uses," he said.
But the issue for the court, he said, "is not whether marijuana could have some medical benefits." Instead, Edwards said, the court's job was to determine whether the DEA acted within the scope of its authority in declining to reclassify the drug, given claims in the lawsuit that peer-reviewed scientific studies found some evidence that it could be beneficial.
"We defer to the agency's interpretation of these regulations and find that substantial evidence supports its determination" that no studies exist that are "adequate and well-controlled" proving its effectiveness in medical treatments.

The dissenting judge, Karen LeCraft Henderson, expressed no view on whether marijuana has medical benefits. Instead, she said the court should have dismissed the case on the grounds that none of those filing the lawsuit had legal authority to bring the case to court in the first place.

"100% THC, suspended in a sesame oil capsule, has a medical use, lower abuse potential than cocaine and meth, and can be used safely when supervised by doctors. 10%-25% THC, suspended in a plant flower with a whole bunch of other Cannabinoids, has no medical use, even when supervised by doctors, because it is as likely to be abused as heroin. It’s really quite simple – patents make molecules safer."

The Corporations are salivating at the chance to bribe our lawmakers in order to push "cannabis medicine" for their profit. Do we really need a Corporate entity to reinvent a plant that grows naturally. This is just insanity!!

"100% THC, suspended in a sesame oil capsule, has a medical use, lower abuse potential than cocaine and meth, and can be used safely when supervised by doctors. 10%-25% THC, suspended in a plant flower with a whole bunch of other Cannabinoids, has no medical use, even when supervised by doctors, because it is as likely to be abused as heroin. It’s really quite simple – patents make molecules safer."

The Corporations are salivating at the chance to bribe our lawmakers in order to push "cannabis medicine" for their profit. Do we really need a Corporate entity to reinvent a plant that grows naturally. This is just insanity!!

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These corporations don't get how this plant and it's molecules work. They think it's all about THC when it isn't. All the other actives in the plant work in concert with one another to give a wide range of benefits. This is why cannabis is such an effective treatment. It's sort of a "cure-all".

although this is extremely annoying, the elephant in the room can only be ignored for so long. with more and more people informing themselves about the topic and moving away from traditional beliefs, at least we can say that there has been a noticeable social reform occurring over just the past few years. court rulings like this are a disappointing blow but we need to make sure we don't dwell on a battle that was lost and concentrate on the war at hand.

for now, i'm going to go vape to bring my blood pressure down after reading this article...

I wonder how the Feds will explain how "Marijuana isn't a medicine" when Sativex is approved by the FDA this year? Sativex isn't a synthetic cannabinoid like Marinol, etc. It is actually produced from the plant itself...essentially a tincture. If the FDA, a federal agency, approves Sativex, they will have acknowledged that marijuana is, indeed, a medicine.

I wonder how the Feds will explain how "Marijuana isn't a medicine" when Sativex is approved by the FDA this year? Sativex isn't a synthetic cannabinoid like Marinol, etc. It is actually produced from the plant itself...essentially a tincture. If the FDA, a federal agency, approves Sativex, they will have acknowledged that marijuana is, indeed, a medicine.

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They won't explain it. They are hypocrites, and will continue to be like, "do as I say, not as I do."

100% THC, suspended in a sesame oil capsule, has a medical use, lower abuse potential than cocaine and meth, and can be used safely when supervised by doctors

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This part makes sense if you interpret it as "...THC, Suspended in a sesame oil capsule [as a specific example, not to the exclusion of other cannabinoid options], has a medical use..."

10%-25% THC, suspended in a plant flower with a whole bunch of other Cannabinoids, has no medical use, even when supervised by doctors

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I don't understand how anyone could possibly believe this.
There are medical uses... I can think of about 4 clear cut medical uses right off the top of my head... (And I'm not a medical user) And I know there are plenty of others I'm not thinking of...

because it is as likely to be abused as heroin.

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I don't understand how anyone could possibly believe this, because

a) Marijuana use is far more prevalent than heroin use in the general public, yet it seems to me that heroin is still causes more societal problems and is more "abused" than MJ...

b) Both Morphene (Which as far as I know is almost identical to heroin, not to mention all the other varieties of opioid painkillers around) and Cocaine both have Medical uses (Painkiller and Anesthetic respectively) and are far more likely to be "abused"

The potential for abuse has nothing to do with whether there is medical value to a particular drug/molecule/whatever. It could be a factor in scheduling the drug, but it's medicinal uses are still there regardless of the potential for abuse. (and even if it was "abused" what are the side effects? Giggling and eating some doritos?)

And where the hell is this person getting the info to come to the conclusion that "it is as likely to be abused as heroin" because that's some mighty strong language. That sort of a statement shouldn't be made without scientific evidence to back it up

It’s really quite simple – patents make molecules safer.

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That doesn't even make sense...
Does that mean if I was somehow able to patent water (since H2O is a molecule) it would be safer?
Would it be harder to drown in my magical patented water?
What if I could patent Cyanide, or Arsenic? They sure as hell aren't gonna be safer...

I'm disabled with a laundry list of medical problems and a shitload of prescriptions. After years of abstaining, I've recently confirmed that just two or three small hits offer immediate and great relief from Rheumatoid Arthritis, bulging discs, Sciatica, Venus stasis (circulation problem in the legs), insomnia, mild depression, and leaves me with a sense of well being that was somewhat lacking. This isn't about getting stoned, trashed, or wasted, its about relief and quality of life. A mild buzz that leaves me a little forgetful and with an easy smile and relieves all of these issues shouldn't be cause for the loss of my freedom anywhere!

I'm investigating the benefits of vaping over smoking. Marijuana is medicine.

I'm disabled with a laundry list of medical problems and a shitload of prescriptions. After years of abstaining, I've recently confirmed that just two or three small hits offer immediate and great relief from Rheumatoid Arthritis, bulging discs, Sciatica, Venus stasis (circulation problem in the legs), insomnia, mild depression, and leaves me with a sense of well being that was somewhat lacking. This isn't about getting stoned, trashed, or wasted, its about relief and quality of life. A mild buzz that leaves me a little forgetful and with an easy smile and relieves all of these issues shouldn't be cause for the loss of my freedom anywhere!

I'm investigating the benefits of vaping over smoking. Marijuana is medicine.

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I also have Rheumatoid Disease. (I am part of a movement to change the name because it is NOT Arthritis. ) Anyway, I also used to be on a ton of prescriptions, most of which made me a zombie. Now that I use cannabis as medicine, I am much better off.

Governments are just crazy at times...they allow you to purchase alcohol openly, that can cause a great deal more problems.
They allow doctors to prescribe expensive drugs and medicines that have nasty side affects and can be highly addictive, yet a guy like myself cannot at the end of a hard days work come home and enjoy a vape in the privacy and comfort of my own home...it's just mad.
Not to mention the usefulness of the hemp fibre that could be put to good use after harvesting the nice bits...

Never fear, friends. Medical marijuana is an inevitability that the feds will eventually be forced to accept. Every year, more states pass medical marijuana bills. At a certain point, enforcing the law is going to become quite a problem. Imagine the required personnel and the cost of the resources the federal government will have to devote when 40 out of 50 states have medical marijuana laws.

While I don't expect that tipping point to come anytime soon, IT WILL COME! My best guess is 10-20 years before we finally see a federal acceptance of medical marijuana. I expect the campaign to legalize all marijuana outright will follow a similar course and timeline...10-20 years.

Now that Washington and Colorado have legalized recreational use, other states will surely follow. Once again, a tipping point will eventually be reached. Capitalism will take over and once again, the feds won't have the resources to enforce the federal law.
I realize that 10-20 years sounds pretty depressing, but I believe it's realistic.

In 10 years I'll be 56. In 20 years I'll be 66. So, yeah, that is kinda depressing for me.

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I really think we have momentum for legalization. The political climate appears to be changing as the younger voters start to get engaged in politics. The internet and the vast sharing of information is making it more difficult for the powers that be to proliferate all of the lies and mistruths about Cannabis. I am very optimistic and excited about the future!